Passport Recommendations-US

Good morning,

We are planning to go on the Caribbean Fiesta on the QM2. We were wondering if this was an opportunity to take our passport cards as opposed to the full passport. Has anyone else done this?

Your opinions would be greatly helpful in making our decision.

Thank you!

Should be OK I think, unless you need to fly home unexpectedly in which case you'll wish you had the book.

this should help, but I'd confirm everything with Cunard before hand. Don't want any nasty surprises at the pier.

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/card/Difference-Between-Passport-Book-and-Card.html

i would still bring my full passport as backup

Passports, you got-um take-um.

I would take the passports to be on the safe side.

Keith

Take the passports. If you only need them to embark and disembark they can stay in your safe.

I no longer trust what I'm told with a phone call to Cunard.... I learned that the hard way. I would absolutely take the passports and keep them in the safe.

What's a passport card?

David.

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/information/card.html

It's intended for people who make frequent land/sea crossings into Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda, not as a complete passport replacement. It's cheaper than a passport but can't be used for air travel.

One reason to have one in addition to a passport book is for convenience since it's a wallet-sized card.

I should have said the card in addition to the book is convenient if you make a lot of land/sea entries. If I had both I'd leave the card behind for a cruise.

Good morning,

 

We are planning to go on the Caribbean Fiesta on the QM2. We were wondering if this was an opportunity to take our passport cards as opposed to the full passport. Has anyone else done this?

I recommend always to take the full passport. During the cruise you will not need it as your key card is used as an ID on the islands.

I take both, use the passport book to get on the ship and off. Use the card as additional ID if out and about in a port while the passport is safe in the room safe. I also make a copy of my passport and keep it in my wallet and in my safe. A friend of mine learned this trick as he had his passport stolen in Italy and the US Embassy was very quick to reissue it since he had a paper copy to present.

I recommend always to take the full passport. During the cruise you will not need it as your key card is used as an ID on the islands.

You should carry some sort of photo ID ashore in addition to the key card. The key card gets you onto the ship, but port security may want to see ID before they let you get near the ship.

I agree with other posters. If you have a passport, take it.

I no longer trust what I'm told with a phone call to Cunard.... I learned that the hard way. I would absolutely take the passports and keep them in the safe.

That is why I email them. It's harder to argue with the written word!

You present a strong case for the full passport. I am unsure I will ever use these passport cards. I guess we wasted some money there!

I appreciate the help and hope you all have the cruise of your dreams.

See you in December!

The passport card is just fine! You can leave the book at home, but seriously the card is really not necessary since you purchased the book. Unless you travel back and forth to Canada or Mexico quite frequently it was a waste of money. The book gets you in to any (mostly) country and back home again using any method of transportation. The book trumps the card!

The card was instituted to make it more convenient for students/business people/people who have family on the 'foreign' side, who cross the border a lot.

You should carry some sort of photo ID ashore in addition to the key card. The key card gets you onto the ship, but port security may want to see ID before they let you get near the ship.

 

I agree with other posters. If you have a passport, take it.

Cunard will inform you for every port in advance of the documents to carry ashore. Nevertheless it is always a good idea to carry a photo ID.

My passport was kept in the safe deposit box all the time during the Caribbean Cruises. It was definitely needed to embark on the first day and to enter US ports when disembarking.